“Miles to empty” something to look out for?

[Cuppedup]

I’m looking at big horns and came across a used 2019 CC with 5.7L etorque, level 2, 4x4 with anti spin and 23Gallon tank for $32K, one owner.

The picture on the dash shows 3/4 tank of fuel, and the “miles to empty” meter shows 187 miles left...that seems like very few miles for 3/4 tank of fuel. If that’s accurate, that’s around 11mpg (give or take). Is this something that should be alarming or a red flag? I test drove a ram last week and was able to average 18mpg on my 30 minute mix city/hwy drive.

I understand the previous owner could have just been flooring it everywhere, but it’s hard to tell...

 

[piening2150]

Or the average was recently reset, or it was idling a lot since it's been at the dealer, or a few short test drives, or a lot of remote starts, or a combination of all. Relax. Go take it for a drive and see what you think of it.

 

[5thGenRebel_AMK]

Mine fluctuates a lot depending on city vs highway driving, as piening mentioned. I mainly drive city, top speed of 30 mph, which obviously results in low mpg. For example if my gauge says 100 miles to empty after a normal week of city driving, and then on the weekend I hop on the highway and cruise at 70 mph, I notice that my gauge will increase the miles I have left to empty. Sometimes I’ll gain 20 or so miles to empty on that gauge just from highway driving. The gauge/computer is constantly updating the miles to empty figure based on your current driving. I wouldn’t read too much into what the gauge said on the truck you test drove. Good luck!!

 

[5thGenRebel_AMK]

Also to add, my rebel will show around 250-280 miles to empty after I fill up if I’ve been driving only city. My last ram (albeit a 3.21 rear end) would show around 400 miles to empty after a fill up if I was doing all highway driving. This is a huge difference simply based on driving conditions. I’m sure this is all that’s been going on with this truck you looked at. It’s been going through test drives/service ect, all short trips.

 

[SD Rebel]

I believe it's based on the average of your mpg monitor, if you reset it recently and did a bit more stop and go, your empty tank estimate will adjust accordingly based on that average.

 

[Cuppedup]

I’m not fond of the 23 gallon tank either. But 32K is a good price. Am I over thinking this tank or is that a deal breaker for a lot of people?

 

[Skater]

It is good price I believe, but for me, I need the additional fuel capacity. In February, not knowing any better, I ordered a 2020 Limited 4x4 HEMI eTorque without the 33 gal. tank. After reading many threads on this forum that a retrofit can be accomplished, sometimes with ease, sometimes without ease, but that the 4x4 eTorque frame is typically missing a necessary bracket to support the larger tank and the hybrid battery sits where the larger tank's front end would go.... yeah, for me it was a deal breaker. The additional 120+ mile possible additional range is that important to my travel needs. To that end, just this afternoon, my dealer confirmed it was replacing my original order with a new one with the same specs for my RAM, but with the addition of the 33 gal. tank.

 

[Richard320]

The range is based on the average mileage and the gas left in the tank. But wait --- there's more! The average mileage it uses doesn't match trip A or trip B mileage. I've been trying to figure it out for almost a year and it still eludes me. I don't know if it's the average mileage for X number if hours or what, but it doesn't seem to align with trip A or B no matter how many miles.

 

[User_3336]

I never run my tank low enough as to where I even have to look at the "miles to empty" reading.

 

[SD Rebel]

The range is based on the average mileage and the gas left in the tank. But wait --- there's more! The average mileage it uses doesn't match trip A or trip B mileage. I've been trying to figure it out for almost a year and it still eludes me. I don't know if it's the average mileage for X number if hours or what, but it doesn't seem to align with trip A or B no matter how many miles.

I think it's the MPG meter itself, not the trip meters. As you cycle through the options, it's the option right before you get to the trip meters, it shows your constant mpg along with your average which you can reset.

 

[mikeru82]

The 23 gallon tank is the one thing that grinds on me about my truck. I love the truck, but the fuel tank is just too small. My DTE gauge shows 315 miles when I fill up, so it's not as bad as what you're seeing. But honestly, my advice would be to keep looking and not buy this truck.

 

[J-Cooz]

I'd wait and get the exact truck you want

 

[Diamondback]

also remember, the shape of the tank itself. the 1st 1/4 will seem to go by fast (top of a dome), then it will seem to "stall" for a bit before the final 1/4 tank.

 

[Ram92131]

I never run my tank low enough as to where I even have to look at the "miles to empty" reading.

Seems like the truck tries hard to not let you run on fumes. I have the 33gal tank and no matter how far I push it after the low fuel warning comes on, I have never been able to stuff more than 28 gallons into it at a fill up.

 

[Diamondback]

Seems like the truck tries hard to not let you run on fumes. I have the 33gal tank and no matter how far I push it after the low fuel warning comes on, I have never been able to stuff more than 28 gallons into it at a fill up.

Same here